Here on the Google Maps team we constantly strive to make high-quality imagery of the world available to our users. Why? We know that providing rich, detailed maps better enables you to understand the world's geographic information.

Along those lines, I'm proud to announce that today we are launching a new feature that will further enhance your ability to understand the world through images -- Google Maps Street View. With Street View, you can virtually explore city neighborhoods by viewing and navigating within 360-degree scenes of street-level imagery. It feels as if you're walking down the street!